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2026/2027  KAN-CSDEV2001U  Project-oriented internship/anthropological field study

English Title
Project-oriented internship/anthropological field study

Course information

Language English
Course ECTS 15 ECTS
Type Elective
Level Full Degree Master
Duration One Semester
Start time of the course Autumn
Timetable Course schedule will be posted at calendar.cbs.dk
Study board
Study Board for Markets & Innovation
Programme Master of Social Sciences in Organizational Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Strategic Design and Entrepreneurship)
Course coordinator
  • Stina Teilmann-Lock - Department of Business Humanities and Law (BHL)
Main academic disciplines
  • Management
  • Methodology and philosophy of science
  • Organisation
Teaching methods
  • Face-to-face teaching
Last updated on 16/06/2026

Relevant links

Learning objectives
INTERNSHIP learning objectives: In the report, the student must:
  • apply analytical skills and reflective thinking (i.e. use of theory) in problematisations of the organisational practice with relevance for the student’s internship/fieldwork
  • discuss and apply the chosen academic literature in the analysis of specific research areas
  • link practical experience/fieldwork observation and academic reflection with central, professional issues in the relevant MSc in Social Sciences programme
  • critically reflect on how to combine analytical distance to with concrete involvement in organisational practices
  • FIELDWORK learning objectives: The report must demonstrate
  • that the student is capable of theoretical as well as methodological reflection on his/her field work activities in the observed organization(s) in relation to the professional field of the program. This involves an ability to apply conceptual abstractions in a problematization of the observed organizational practices.
  • that the student is capable of analyzing his/her observation activities in the host organization(s) in relation to central, professional issues in his/her education.
  • that the student is able to employ business economics, organizational and/or managerial knowledge in order to analyze the correlation between field work data and the host organization(s)’ professional activities.
  • the student’s capacity to combine analytical distance with concrete involvement, and, furthermore, to reflect upon the ethical and practical considerations that ought to be a part of undertaking fieldwork
Course prerequisites
All exams at the first year must be passed. Internships can only be pre-approved for the third semester.

A curriculum of scientific literature to be used for the report will have to be composed by the student and is subject to approval before the start of the internship/fieldwork. The curriculum should not substantially overlap with mandatory course curriculum (from the first year) and amounts to 900 pages.
Examination
Project-oriented internship/anthropological field study:
Exam ECTS 15
Examination form Oral exam based on written product

In order to participate in the oral exam, the written product must be handed in before the oral exam; by the set deadline. The grade is based on an overall assessment of the written product and the individual oral performance, see also the rules about examination forms in the programme regulations.
Individual or group exam Individual exam
Size of written product Max. 20 pages
Assignment type Project
Release of assignment Subject chosen by students themselves, see guidelines if any
Duration
Written product to be submitted on specified date and time.
20 min. per student, including examiners' discussion of grade, and informing plus explaining the grade
Grading scale 7-point grading scale
Examiner(s) Internal examiner and second internal examiner
Exam period Autumn
Make-up exam/re-exam
Same examination form as the ordinary exam
Description of the exam procedure

The student is entitled to 4 hours of supervision.

 

 

Course content, structure and pedagogical approach

Purpose of internship:
The purpose of internship is to offer students the possibility to obtain knowledge and experience in performing tangible tasks and projects. By being and contributing actively at a relevant workplace, students get the opportunity to make use of their professional and theoretical knowledge and to reflect theoretically on the execution of the work during the period of the internship.
 

Purpose of fieldwork:
The purpose of field work is to offer students the possibility to obtain knowledge and experience in conducting anthropologically or ethnographically oriented data generation in relation to professional practices in one or more organizations. By observing relevant workplaces, students get the opportunity to make use of their theoretical and methodological knowledge and to reflect theoretically on the organizational practices in question. A major distinction between an internship and fieldwork is that in the latter the student is not part of an organizational hierarchy and therefore the activities relating to the host/focus organization(s) are of an observatory character (even if the fieldwork might involve participatory observation and/or interviews). Fieldwork might be relevant for students aiming at generating a substantial element of primary data for their master theses, and thus engaging and experimenting with the methodological challenges of observing professional, organizational practices in the context of the requirements of their particular study program.

Research-based teaching
CBS’ programmes and teaching are research-based. The following types of research-based knowledge and research-like activities are included in this course:
Research-based knowledge
  • Classic and basic theory
  • Methodology
Research-like activities
  • Development of research questions
  • Data collection
  • Analysis
  • Discussion, critical reflection, modelling
  • Students conduct independent research-like activities under supervision
Description of the teaching methods
Individual participation in/observation of work practice combined with individual project writing.
Feedback during the teaching period
Indidividual supervision
Student workload
Supervision 4 hours
Course activities (preparation, meetings and other activities at internship company): 338 hours
Exam (including exam preparation) 75 hours
Last updated on 16/06/2026